New Delhi: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday condemned the Punjab assembly's resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state.
"Condemnable. They should not have done this. Rajiv–Longowal Accord was signed 35-36 years ago, as per which it is the capital of both Haryana and Punjab. I had said yesterday too that there are several issues related to it," Khattar said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar opined, "if they want to do something like this, they should first go to Supreme Court over resolving Satluj Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) issue. The Hindi-speaking areas were not given to Haryana, which delayed the rest of the issues. They should say that they are ready to give Hindi-speaking areas to Haryana."
He also asked AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal as well as his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann to apologise for taking up the issue.
"Party chief Arvind Kejriwal should condemn it, or they should apologise to the people of Haryana. Punjab CM should also apologise to the people of Haryana. What they have done is condemnable," ML Khattar said, as quoted by ANI.
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Punjab's AAP Government A "Bachha Party": Anil Vij
Earlier in the day, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij dubbed Punjab's AAP government a "bachha party", lacking complete knowledge of issues.
He also termed Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann-led government as being at the infancy stage whose milk teeth have not broken yet, news agency PTI reported.
"The government which has come in Punjab is a 'bachha party'. It does not have complete knowledge of issues," Anil Vij said.
He also accused the Punjab government of raking the issue of Chandigarh while ignoring other related issues.
"The issue of Chandigarh is there but it is not the only issue. There are other issues that are connected to it. There is SYL water (issue), (the issue of) Hindi speaking areas. They have not spoken on those issues. Whenever there will be a decision, it will be a single one. There cannot be different decisions," Vij added.
Responding to another question, the Harayana Home Minister called the AAP a "fraud party."
"It was born out of deception. There was never an agenda in the Anna Hazare movement that a political party would be formed. But some mischievous elements played with the sentiments of people and formed a political party. A party that is born out of deception will play fraud at every step," Vij alleged while talking to reporters in Panchkula.
Chandigarh is the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday moved a resolution in the State Assembly demanding immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state.
It was passed with a complete majority in the absence of two BJP legislators, who earlier staged a walkout from the House, PTI reported.
The resolution came as Punjab Assembly held a one-day special session to discuss the Union government’s decision to extend the Central service rules to employees of UT of Chandigarh.
(With Inputs From Agencies)